Neglected Kerygma of Christ -- Lecture 10

[Rebbe]

THE NEGLECTED KERYGMA OF CHRIST
a series of lecture essays on the biblical concept of a universal salvation in Christ

LECTURE TEN

Copyright © BRI/IMCF 2020 All Rights Reserved Worldwide by Les Aron Gosling, Messianic Lecturer (BRI/IMCF)

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In previous lectures in this series, and in a myriad of lectures given over a 40+ year period on the subject of universal salvation in Christ, I have purposely provoked assailants who object to what they call "universalism" -- a concept with sentiments concerning which I decidedly do not share -- to explain in simple terms the reasons for their jettisoning what can only be described as the most pivotal ultimate outcome of the very exceptional doctrine of the irresistible GRACE of an authentically loving God.

Indeed in our last immediate lecture I concluded its deliverance with the following thoughts.

"Let the modern scribes theologise as to the contradictions in their textbooks concerning the abolishing of all rule, authority and power and their lame, unsuccessful attempts to explain the continued existence and prevalence (and that with eternal dimensions) of a hell populated with spiritual morons, deviants, and enemies of the cross. This defiant mass of incorrigible wills, according to the perpetuation of gross medieval superstition, is the estranged garbage of our world condemned to be forever removed 'from the presence of the Lord' who died for them. There, in that place -- in a dimension called hell -- still remains the subjugation of misery, gloom and a pathetic coexistence of the rule of spiritual death still unconquered and unconquerable by the love of Christ. Clearly, hell must terminate. For, if nothing more, it remains the unwelcome startling presence of death. 

"And, in contradistinction to such a view 'Our Saviour Yeshua the Messiah... has abolished death and has brought life and incorruption to light through the Gospel' (2 Timothy 1.10). Do YOU believe it?"

If you have been carefully following my biblical analysis and theological assessments concerning the conception of an ultimate "universal salvation in Christ" you will have come to appreciate that there are a number of reasons to anticipate the termination of hell. 

Indeed, if you are a THINKING believer you will have come to realise through my own particular arguments (and there are many students and scholars of the biblical revelation who are in agreement with most of my appraisals on this subject) that there are implications that seem to defy standard traditional church teaching about the existence and continuance of "hell."

If one person, for instance, remains alienated from God and Christ in hell at the very conclusion of God's GRACIOUS intention, purpose and plan in "time" then it becomes extremely difficult for anyone -- even with the most noble of Godly designs -- to RESCUE Infinite Intelligence and Unending Love from a stark and peculiar dilemma which constitutes a glaring contradiction to, in, for and of His paramount Salvific WILL.

Assuredly, and admittedly, there are a number of theories put forth by theologians about the idea or notion of what constitutes "hell" yet some seem oblivious to the fact that any alienation from God in respect of inmates occupying hell (even a "hell" designated by any other name) anticipates and substantiates a STATE OF DEATH. Astonishingly, at the same time, proponents of the dogma of everlasting hell and endless misery insist and argue emphatically that Christ must reign until he has put "all enemies under his feet (and the last enemy to be destroyed IS death)" all the while failing to realise that God will have been utterly defeated, foiled, frustrated, thwarted, discomfited -- as well as being acutely disappointed -- in His frank and forthright purpose to be "all in all" as Paul testifies in his letter to the Corinthian Christians.

Let me spell it out once again for any unenlightened spiritual dummies who are swept away with petrified dogmatism! Listen! God only needs one person to remain dead, lost, or rebellious for His program, plan and purpose to FAIL.

QUESTION: Is Christ a Satisfied Saviour? The biblical revelation seems to think so -- Isaiah 53.11 (Hebrew & AV from saba -- "to be completely satisfied to the point of being filled and overflowing"). Is He satisfied? Really? If not how do we interpret Job 14.15 where it states emphatically that God will have a desire to the work of his hands? Will God accomplish the salvation of the human race through the agency of Christ and his Salvific will? Will a reconciliation of the universe eventually take place? Isn't this his stated intention (Col 1.16-20)?

Let me state once and for all time that hell MUST come to an end. Hell -- however we may struggle to describe it -- must terminate because ALL intelligent theologians in ALL religious persuasions of Christendom are in agreement that an eternal hell itself is PURPOSELESS. God is only PURPOSE in Himself.  Therefore THE GOOD NEWS IS that hell will one day culminate in LIFE and in PRAISE to the living Salvific Creator.

At this juncture, let us recall that we have scanned through the pages of the Messianic Scriptures (or "New Testament" -- a misnomer to be sure) and have discovered the  MANY references (particularly from the pens of Paul and John) to the majestic intention of God's GRACIOUS will. But what about the Hebrew Scriptures UPON WHICH FOUNDATION the Messianic Scriptures stand?

Paul reminded Timothy, "From childhood you have known the holy Scriptures" [that's the Greek LXX translation of the Hebrew Scriptures] "which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith which is through Messiah Yeshua" (2 Tim 3.15).

ASK A RABBI
Jewish teachers, including rabbinic authorities, are well aware (and certainly openly recognise) that negative ideas of hell -- which infiltrated Judaism and from thence were adopted by Christianity and eventually Islam -- originated amongst Jews influenced by their exposure to the religions of Babylon and Persia during their captivity (and concerning the latter, especially by Zoroastrianism). No rabbi can place the horrific teachings of an eternal hell as having an origin anywhere in the Hebrew Scriptures for no such texts describing an everlasting hell exist. Therefore, Judaism does not teach a permanent hell because an unending, unceasing hell is not found in the Bible.

Hell IS real -- as the rabbis articulate -- but a loving God created it. It never created itself. Satan didn't devise it. God created it on PURPOSE and that purpose was to deal with the incorrigibles (either demonic or human) who hate and despise Him (for whatever reason).

This is why in the Jewish Talmud there are records of rabbis who argue against the proposition of the "churches of this world" that a God of intelligent reason and eternal good will could bring into an existence an everlasting torturous misery for rebels when it would go right against His nature to accomplish such a heinous thing. The fact is, as I have stressed time and time again, our modern terminology especially of words such as "eternity" and "eternal" and "everlasting" are entirely modern concepts and "ages" or "eons" is the ancient way people -- including the Jews -- viewed the future.

Please recall that the Scriptures (the Hebrew as well as the Messianic New Covenant texts) were penned by Jews. They were not written by Roman Catholics and they were not brought into existence by Protestants. Our Lord Yeshua was not a Christian, he was a Jew. His followers became known as Christians, both Jew and Gentile, and they believed the Jewish writings and they unabashedly promulgated them as "the WORD of God." They did not espouse Reformation doctrines, nor Counter-Reformation notions and ideas. People would become much more enlightened in relation to the Scriptures if they took the time to actually ask Jews what their Book means, and what it teaches us specifically about Gehenna.

Ask a rabbi the reason for the existence of Gehenna (or, Gehinnom) and he will respond, to purge out sin. To change human nature. To destroy man's sinful inclination (the yetzer hara). To bring humankind into an alignment with God, and all that God is. In other words it is God's desire to bring humanity into conformity to His divine will. Isn't this also the core of the NT teaching? If it isn't (in your opinion) then you are reading a different Bible to the one I own.

ASK A RABBI if Gehenna is real and they will answer yes, and it will be brought into an existence with the coming of the Messiah. The prophets speak of the Messiah coming in the clouds of heaven accompanied by fire.

"For behold, Yehovah will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword Yehovah will judge all flesh; And the slain of Yehovah shall be many. 'Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens after one idol in the midst, eating swine's flesh and the abomination and the mouse, shall be consumed together,' says Yehovah. 'For I know their works and their thoughts. It shall be that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and see My glory'" (Isa 66.15-18).

ASK A RABBI how long Gehenna will last and they will refer to Isaiah 66.22,23. Isaiah was the first prophet who utilised a grand universalistic worldview. God was GREATER than the Chosen People -- the Israelite nation -- thought him to be.

Notice one Isaiatic prophetic view carefully now:

"For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me, says HaShem, so shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from New Moon to its New Moon, and from one Sabbath to its Sabbath, ALL flesh shall come to worship before Me, says HaShem" (Isa 66.22,23 Hebrew).

Right now you may be questioning this appraisal and asking, "Um, am I missing something here? Where does it mention the length of time that Gehenna will exist?"

Look again at the text! "ALL" flesh is spoken of as being in alignment with God (in the person of Messiah). From "new moon to its new moon and from one Sabbath to its Sabbath" in Jewish thoughtform consists of a length of twelve months. I'll explain why in just a moment.

Certainly a time period of 12 months is substantiated by the rabbinic grasp of the Isaiatic text in the Babylonian Talmud Tractate Shabbath Folio 33b where it states, "the punishment [lit., judgment] of the wicked in Gehenna is [limited to] twelve months."

Rabbi Simcha Paull Raphael announces that "During the twelve-month period in Gehenna, the soul goes through a process of purification... as described in Midrash Pesikta Rabbati, 'after going down to Gehenna and receiving the punishment due him, the sinner is forgiven of all his iniquities, and like an arrow from the bow as he is flung forth from Gehenna' (Pesikta Rabbati 53:2)." The well-educated rabbi adds, "After this experience, the soul is sufficiently purified and able to enter the supernal postmortem realm of Gan Eden, the Garden of Eden (Exodus Rabbah 7:4). This belief stands in sharp contrast to the Christian notion of hell and damnation reflected in St. Augustine's City of God..." (Jewish Views of the Afterlife, 2009, 145).

In "sharp contrast" to Augustine's mad and crazy mindset is for certain! The rabbis reject the entire idea of eternal punishment, for punishment they correctly argue is regenerative, not vindictive or punitive, and therefore Gehenna must terminate.

Again in Eduyoth 2.10: "Gehenna shall endure twelve months."

The period spent in hell is TIME-LIMITED, never eternal. A MAXIMUM of twelve months is stressed. According to the Jewish "Testimonies" [Eduyyot] the generation of the flood, evil to the "max," had their time in hell limited to a year (Mishnah Eduyyot 2.10; Genesis Rabbah 28.8).

Let's look at the Isaiah text again. "For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make shall remain before me, says HaShem, so shall your descendants and your name remain. And it shall come to pass that from New Moon to its New Moon, and from one Sabbath to its Sabbath, ALL flesh shall come to worship before Me, says HaShem" (Isa 66.22,23 Hebrew).

Look closely at what the text does not tell us. It does not say "from one new moon to another new moon." It says "from New Moon to ITS New Moon." That's not just another "New Moon." Its the SAME NEW MOON. The New Moon that RECURS at and to the SAME TIME NEXT YEAR when it returns to the SAME SEASONAL TIME PERIOD.

Likewise the text does not say "from one Sabbath to another Sabbath." It does not say "from one Sabbath to the following Sabbath." Its the Sabbath 12 months later when that Sabbath becomes "ITS Sabbath." The SAME TIME PERIOD. Twelve months later when it recurs.

Still, other texts indicate that the period of exclusion from the presence of God could be as little as three months. There are rabbinic scholars such as Yohanan ben Nuri, who find a formula of Gehenna duration in the expression "'And from one festival to the other' during which the Sabbaths are counted." The judgment of the wicked in Gehenna would last seven weeks from Passover to Pentecost when they would be acquitted. The Talmud also mentions that a person could repent at the very gates of Gehenna (Erubin 19a).

Whichever way we wish to cut it, Judaism teaches the temporary nature of the fiery judgments of hell. The rabbis view hell fire as an agency and process of purification -- and the Lord Yeshua agreed with them when he stated that "every man will be salted" (Mk 9.49). We either get "salted" in this life through our horrendous trials or we will definitely get "salted" in the next, either in Sheol or in Gehenna! When faced with these direful trials of faith, are we proactive (yetzer ha'tov) or reactive (yetzer ha'ra)?

WHAT PAUL WROTE ABOUT HELL
I must disagree with Gentile Christian scholars who insist that a purposeless hell has a place in the MIND of a HOLY God. For, I insist on repeating: God is PURPOSE in Himself. That a God of purpose could entertain for a minute the purposelessness of something -- anything -- is illogical in the extreme.

But even this fact aside, we are thankful that documents exist in the form of Talmudic literature (and the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah) with their inclusions of Second Temple traditions which inform us of what the rabbinic authorities espoused about hell in Paul's day and age. AND Paul, being a rabbinic authority himself, and who penned MUCH of our NT... what did he teach about hell?

NOTHING!!!

Paul who never ever mentioned "hell" in his writings (and which motive of Paul's no serious scholar has ever misunderstood), would have been very much aware of the Second Temple teachings. After all is said and done, he lived in that same period! He was contemporary with it!

In a word, when one is seriously preoccupied in learning and comprehending the content matter of the myriad of rich comment of Jewish mystical thought of the past 3000 years there cannot be any doubt that the rabbis taught that even Gehenna would terminate! They taught it based on the writings of Jeremiah and Isaiah primarily, but there are other statements in the Tanack (the Hebrew Bible) from which the rabbis would also have entertained their universalist concepts. The fact remains that no true Jew believes the notion and the nonsense of a never-ending hell for sinners. The evidence stares us all in the face, yet there are Jewish Messianic leaders of pro-Yeshua organisations and who are "over" entire congregations who insist on being led by the nose by Augustine-influenced Gentiles who espouse fables originating in debased Gentile religious idolatrous concepts and opinions.

Paul is quite aware that the rabbinic view in the Second Temple period was (and still is) that even Sheol and Gehenna will be emptied of its captives. The rabbis taught with absolute conviction that the God of LOVE would rescue even those who defiled the sacred thoughts of God, and who had rejected His unconditional love. In the meantime these folk would have undergone the most horrible of experiences but when they see the likeness of His GLORY (again, according to the rabbinic authorities of that time) they would repent and enter God's Realm of everlasting Salvific Rest. The documents exist. They can be read by all.

GEHINNOM TODAY
Intriguingly, it is more than possible for us to visit Gehenna in the land of Israel. If we cannot afford a plane ticket (and the cost of a hotel for the night in the Holy Land) we can go to travel websites on the Internet and look for the Valley of Hinnom. You will discover that it's a very beautiful place today whereas in ancient times it was a large garbage dump onto which the corpses of criminals and others were thrown to burn to ashes. It is located right near the Jaffa Gate (Old City of Jerusalem) on the west side of Mt Zion. Most Bible students realise it was the place where innumerable little Jewish children were offered alive in a fiery sacrifice to the demonic god Moloch. Rather than dwell on such horrors perhaps you could access yourselves the texts of the prophet Jeremiah who records the events (Jer 7.30-34; 19.1-13; 32.34-36. Any Bible dictionary, expository work or Bible encyclopaedia can relate the ugly and thoroughly tragic account).

As we consider the beauty of the valley of Gehinnom and the greenness of the environment we can begin to appreciate the startling revelation that is foretelling the destruction of hell. God tells us through the prophet Jeremiah, "And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east SHALL BE HOLY UNTO YEHOVAH: it shall not be rooted up, nor thrown down any more forever" (Jer 31.40). 

Clearly, hell must terminate. For it is the startling presence of death. So now we are right back where we began in this lecture. And "Our Saviour... has ABOLISHED DEATH and has brought life and incorruption to light through the Gospel" (2 Tim 1.10).

We rejoice that hell will lose its bondage and its victims. The Valley of Hinnom represented the fires of a destructive hell. The sacred Scriptures confirm that the fires of hell will burn themselves out, and they will cease to exist. "Hell" or Gehinnom will be pronounced "HOLY to the Lord."

There is hope for those who belong to the authentic Messiah -- the One who died for all humankind and who has set His will to save all humanity and to reconcile the entirety of the universe to God. There is hope for those who have never heard of the Messiah. There is even hope for the 'incorrigible.'

Most evangelistic Christians preach feverishly that Christ only saves those who come to him at this time. The call is for human beings to seek him as their own personal Saviour.

May I state the obvious? Unless God himself personally calls a human being to His Son there can never be a positive response of any kind (Jn 6.37,44,65-66). Yeshua can only be "Personal Saviour" if he saves personally. Otherwise Christ is reduced to a mere "provider" offering a salvation. Such a person is not a Saviour, but only a Saviour of those he actually saves. Throw out the Jewish doctrine of a rather diminutive "Firstfruits harvest" of a coming "greater harvest" and the entire salvation message -- even the core of the GOOD NEWS -- becomes muddy waters indeed.

Give me the WATERS OF A TRUE, AUTHENTIC LIFE OF CHRIST any time.

Christ IS in truth the Saviour of the world (Jn 1.29). By means of the vivification of all (1 Cor 15.22) the death state as the last enemy will become inoperative. The gospel will be heard during "strategic seasons" in God's time and purpose (1 Tim 2.3-6 Greek). For, "Lo! NOW is a most acceptable era! Lo! NOW is a day of salvation!" (2 Cor 6.2 Greek).

THIS CONCLUDES THE CURRENT LECTURE